Local elections in AJK before August, says Qayyum Niazi

MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi has said that the PTI government has decided to hold local elections in Azad Kashmir before August next year to transfer power to a lower level.

He expressed these views while addressing a press conference Wednesday. He said the previous governments in the last three decades had not been able to hold local elections but the PTI government was going to do so to transfer power at grassroots level.

He said the Supreme Court had given a historic decision regarding holding of local elections. He said that the government was fully prepared to hold local elections in Azad Kashmir unlike the past rulers who had considered them (local elections) a threat to them. He said the present government had accepted the challenge and hoped the party would return successful.

Mr Niaz said after taking over he had met Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and discussed with him local bodies elections in the state which he fully supported. He thanked Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan for his full support in connection with the holding of local bodies elections.